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      HLW

      Engaged employer

      HLW Reviews

      3.4

      57% would recommend to a friend

      (135 total reviews)

      Bennet Dunkley, Ed Shim, and Sejal Sonani

      Not enough data to show CEO approval

      46% positive business outlook

      HLW has an employee rating of 3.4 out of 5 stars, based on 135 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The HLW employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Construction, repair and maintenance industry (3.7 stars).

      Reviews by job title

      135 reviews
      1.0
      4 Oct 2016

      Some Serious Issues to Address

      Anonymous employee
      Recommend
      CEO approval
      Business outlook

      Pros

      -Good salaries, if negotiated, with small annual bonus opportunities -Somewhat flexible work hours -A constant offering of office activities, parties, and an active social intranet across all offices which gives a unique opportunity to see inside the other office locations -An increased concern for creating office standardization

      Cons

      -Lacking Project Managers are not consistently held accountable for the success or lack thereof of their projects which effects team and office dynamics -Unbalanced work distribution with some teams working constant and extreme overtime while other projects are incredibly mismanaged and inefficient -Unglamorous projects for the unflavored and an overwhelming presence of favoritism and office politics -Tremendously high turnover this year, I would estimate 30 people at least from the NY office alone, from all levels including Senior Associates, Directors, and key team members as well as the younger staff which is a huge red flag of concern -Generally underappreciated treatment for the majority of staff for their participation in meeting project deliverables -Even with a proven track record and tremendous experience, you will be pigeonholed unless you are favored by a Director or Partner which can lead to frustration or can delay career aspirations -An AE firm marketing oneself as such but with effectively few if any at all remaining active engineers -Absolute lack of office standards which is a key contributor to the unprofitability of many projects whose responsibility will not be given to the appropriate Project Manager in all cases -Tremendous division between Interiors and Architecture which reduces the capability of mostly architecturally trained personnel to projects which do not suit their potential or interest -Misguided attempts in the office to spend tremendous time and resources on parties and ‘Supergroup’ activities instead of addressing the key issues in the office

      avatar
      HLW Response
      9y
      Thank you for your review. We are sorry that your experience at HLW was not in line with the culture and values we strive to achieve. We take into consideration all feedback from our employees and thank you for taking the time to outline your concerns. We strive to create a culture that is transparent, and empowers all employees to grow and succeed in their careers. We are happy that you found our efforts to integrate our offices both in practice and culture as a highlight, as the integration will continue to improve allowing our designers to work on new and interesting projects around the world. Again, thank your for your feedback, and we would like to wish you luck moving forward.
      2.0
      5 Apr 2022

      Toxic work culture

      Designer
      Recommend
      CEO approval
      Business outlook

      Pros

      They have some really good past projects and long-standing clients relationships, which they leverage for new work. The marketing team works really hard and they continue to win good projects. The firm puts a lot of money toward sustainability research and applying sustainable practices in projects. They also put money towards several nonprofit organizations every year, which employees help select.

      Cons

      Many of the managers are inexperienced—probably because they can’t retain staff long enough to warrant a senior position. Supervisors apparently don’t need to possess a background in their fields or have any management skills or training—as long as they have the right “attitude” and know the right people. There is a lack of accountability. Any time something goes wrong, it’s someone else’s fault (conveniently someone that is no longer an employee). The projects rely heavily on Pinterest and competitors’ work for “inspiration.” On many occasions, I was instructed to directly copy projects from other design firms. “Question the norm” is their slogan. The norm at HLW: unrealistic deadlines, poor communication, micromanagement, and high turnover rates. If you bring up any issues with management, you will likely be bullied, gaslit, or brushed off entirely. It’s not a great place to work if you have kids, pets, or loved ones that you are responsible for. Management simply doesn’t care.

      2.0
      24 Sept 2015

      One of the worst places I have worked at in my career

      Interior designer
      Recommend
      CEO approval
      Business outlook

      Pros

      Everyone is really nice and friendly! Benefits & Pay are wonderful!

      Cons

      -Unrealistic Goals. -Extremely Disorganized, and everyone knows it but just deals with it...no one actually voices their opinion for fear of upper mgmt. -When you confront HR or upper management about issues, not willing to listen or offer help. -There's a monopoly/gang in this office! Upper management has control of everything, and no one else is able to offer new ideas/procedures. Everyone in upper management works together...it's like the Mafia. -HLW offers no support to new employees, impatient about "learning curve" -Lots of people with titles who do not deserve them. -Extreme deadlines and expectations in a short amount of time. -Unclear guidelines, you're pretty much left to your own devices. -No training for anything, you are made to ask plenty of questions to people who have their own list of work to do and would rather not be bothered. -No work/life balance...you are expected to be as miserable as the rest, if you work here expect this job to be your life! No extracurriculars!

      Viewing 1 - 3 of 135 Reviews
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      Glassdoor has 147 HLW reviews submitted anonymously by HLW employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if HLW is right for you.